


And So It Goes

by gay_angels



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - America, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Anxiety, Biphobia, Bisexual Character, Black James Potter, Child Abuse, Curly Haired Lily Evans, Depression, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gay Character, Homophobia, M/M, Medication, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Past Torture, Racism, Scars, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 18:39:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11742867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_angels/pseuds/gay_angels
Summary: Remus Lupin. Beaten down. Scarred. Abandoned by everyone. Hopeful.Sirius Black. Abused. Depressed. Taken advantage of. Discouraged.Complete opposites? Or perfect equals?





	And So It Goes

Remus Lupin didn't believe in a greater power. If there were any gods up there, he was certain that life wouldn't be so shitty. Or, at least he hoped.

His mom had raised him in a religious household. Church every week, baptized when he was young, all of it. But as the years went on and Remus grew older, he grew to resent his mom's beliefs. This led to many tense conversations that Remus avoided at all costs.

"Remus, honey, you are not getting out of this again! We need to talk." Hope Lupin, Remus's mom, called to him one morning.

"Mom, I love you," Remus called as he busied himself through the house, shoving miscellaneous things into his backpack, "but I just don't feel comfortable talking about this."

Hope sighed deeply, following her son. "Just because you're 16 and think you're above all of this doesn't mean you actually are! Please, just come with me to the new church this week. It will be a great time to make some new friends, huh?"

Remus stopped busying himself and leaned on the kitchen counter. "Mom, as much as I love this conversation, I have to leave for school if I don't want to be late. I'm taking the car. You wouldn't want me to be late on my first day at a new school, would you?"

Hope looked up at her son. "Be safe?" It was more of a question than a demand. Remus smiled softly and pulled his mom in for a hug. After a few long seconds, he pulled away, turning toward the door. Before he could leave, his mom brushed her hand along his chin. Remus flinched slightly, although he tried not to show it. "I love you."

"Love you too. I'll probably be home right after school. I can help you unpack." Remus's mom nodded and let her son go.

Remus passed the for sale sign in front of his house as he got into his car. The sign now had a large red sticker that said 'SOLD' plastered across it.

Remus and his mom moved a lot. She worked at a large firm that always asked her to move almost across the country. Needing the money, she always agreed to the new office. Which made life a hassle for Remus. But he loved his mom, and knew she did everything she needed to to raise him by herself. So he never said anything.

Another new school. The third one in 5 years. At least this time he wasn't coming in in the middle of the school year. It was mid-August, and he would be starting at the same time as every other Junior. Yay for him.

~

"Sirius Black. Long time no see, dude. Where were you all summer?" James Potter called to his friend a few feet away.

Sirius shrugged, "You know how it is with strict parents. We went on a trip this summer. Forced family time."

"Sounds like tons of fun," James laughed, elbowing the shorter blond boy standing next to him. "Guess what! Peter over here has been keeping a secret from us all summer."

Peter Pettigrew's face grew slightly pink as he looked down at his feet. "I wasn't keeping a secret!" He exclaimed. "I just...never got around to telling you guys."

Sirius looked between his two friends, confused. "Is anybody here going to tell me what this secret is?"

Both James and Peter opened their mouths at the same time, but James got the words out quicker. "Pete's got a girlfriend!"

Sirius's face instantly lit up, and he looked over at Peter. "Well, well. Looks like we've got a player over here. Who is she? Does she go here?" Sirius looked around as Peter looked like he was about to implode.

"It's none of your business, alright? I don't want you two terrorizing her." Peter looked at both James and Sirius with a hard look in his eyes. Both boys held back laughter.

"Alright, alright. We won't press anymore. But I have one last question. It's not Evans, is it? Because if it is I might have to fight you." James said, sounding very serious. Sirius started laughing.

"It's not Evans, James. I'm not a dick."

James nodded, not looking convinced. Sirius was about to retort when something caught his eye.

No, not something- somebody. A boy was getting out of his car in the parking lot. He was wearing an oversized sweater and skinny jeans, and his hair fell into his face when he turned toward Sirius.

Sirius guessed it was the truck that caught his eye, not the boy. It was a god-awful shade of orange, looking like a 2-week old jack-o-lantern. But the boy who just got out of the truck seemed to pay it no mind.

There was something that made Sirius watch the boy as he walked toward the school. "Hey, James?"

James looked up at Sirius from his phone, "Yeah, Pads?"

Sirius pointed to the boy he had been watching for the past minute. "You recognize that kid? He just pulled up in the ugliest truck I've ever seen."

James looked where Sirius was pointing and frowned. "No, I've never seen him before. He's probably new." He adjusted his glasses before looking back down at his phone. "Why?"

Sirius had to pull his gaze from the boy. "Huh?"

James snorted, pushing some of his curly hair out of his face. "Nothing." Sirius watched him shake his head, still trying not to laugh. James looked back up to meet his friend's gaze. "Seriously? Ugh you're going to be unbearable these next few days."

Sirius cocked his head to the side. He was about to protest when the bell rang. James just smirked and pulled his bag onto his shoulder. As they started to walk toward the front entrance of their school, Sirius scoffed. " _Unbearable_. I'm never unbearable."

James and Peter scoffed in front of him.

~

Remus walked into his first period class to see that he had limited seating options. Not wanting to sit in the front, he decided to sit nearest the far wall. To his right was a black boy with glasses, who was currently smiling at the girl sitting behind him.

"You look very pretty today, Evans! I like the skirt." He winked at her, although the girl seemed to be unimpressed. She had pale skin covered in freckles, along with flaming orange hair. It seemed as if she had acres of it, and it was tamed back into a large bun. Some curls poked out here and there, but she didn't seem to mind.

"James, do you want something, or are you just here to annoy the shit out of me?" The girl said fiercely. Remus tried to stifle a laugh, but was unsuccessful. The boy turned to look at him, and his eyes immediately lit up.

He turned to face Remus, and Remus's eyes widened slightly. "Hello," he said, smirking. "James Potter. Nice to meet you." James did a mock salute with two fingers, and Remus smiled.

"Remus Lupin. And likewise." Remus noticed that James's eyes started at his nose, then trailed down to his jawline, and he pretended to rest his head on his hand.

James pushed some curls out of his face and pointed his thumb at the curly-haired girl behind him. "This is Lily Evans. One of my good friends."

"James, don't lie to someone you just met. It's not a good first impression." Remus looked to Lily, who waved slightly. "Nice to meet you, Remus. Nice sweater."

Remus looked down at his sweater, his arms coming to wrap around his midsection. "Thanks," he replied with a tight smile. Lily's eyes also went to that same spot on his nose, then to his jawline again, and Remus turned his head so his face was slightly hidden.

The bell rang, and their teacher started talking about first day of school stuff. Remus didn't really pay attention. He was coloring in the margins of his paper when a note slid onto his desk.

 _ **'Want to eat lunch with my friends and me?'**_  It read.

Remus looked to his right at James, who was smiling. Remus looked back down at his paper, not touching the note.

James huffed quietly, taking the note back.

A few minutes passed, and another note made its way to Remus's desk.

_**'I don't wanna make you uncomfortable. You just seem like you don't know anybody.'** _

James was smiling again when Remus looked at him. He seemed nice enough to Remus, albeit a little forward. He probably should have guessed that with the way he was talking to Lily earlier. And something told him James would not take no for an answer. So he pulled the note toward him and scribbled a reply.

**_'Sure. Where should we meet?'_ **

He passed the note back. It was passed to him again as the bell rang. He went to reach for it, but James had already crumpled it up. "It's easier if I just tell you," he explained when Remus gave him a questioning look. "Go to the outside lunch area near the back. I'll be there pretty quick after 4th period, I'll wave you over."

Remus nodded, putting things back into his bag. "James, sounds like you're going out on a date!" Lily said while smirking.

Remus stuttered, trying to explain himself, but James just sighed. "C'mon, Evans! You know my heart beats only for you!" He gestured wildly while Lily rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately," she said, pursing her lips. Remus watched as James followed her out of the classroom. He blinked, not sure he understood what just happened.

He ran through what happened in his head as he walked to the bathroom. He had never considered himself a loner. But he also never made friends that fast. His anxiety combined with, well, his face, made it difficult. Remus looked up into the bathroom mirror.

His face was covered in scars. Deep, pinkish ones across his nose, down his jaw, through his eyebrow. James and Lily had noticed, but neither of them had said anything. He figured that was a good thing. He was tired of giving weak excuses of where they came from. 

Of course, it wan't just his face. His whole body had similar scars, which made for awkward conversations at new schools.

Remus blinked a few times. He figured this was a good start at this school. He left the bathroom right as the bell rang. He hurried to his next class, and was glad to see a familiar face when he got there.

Lily was sitting near the front, and there was an open seat next to her. Remus questioned whether it was too forward to take the seat when Lily called his name.

"Remus!" She waved at him and motioned to her left. He smiled awkwardly and sat down. "Long time no see." She joked, and Remus's smile widened. "Sorry about James earlier. He can be a bit..." she paused, searching for the right word. "James," she finally said, looking at nothing.

Remus shook his head. "It's fine, really. He seemed really nice." Lily looked over at him, smiling softly. Her eyes were still drawn to his scars, but he noticed that she tried not to look at them.

"He can be a bit too nice at times. Gets really goddamn annoying." She laughed at what seemed like an inside joke with herself. Remus didn't ask any questions, he just pulled a notebook out of his bag.

He and Lily talked some more throughout class. She was very nice, and  _very_  smart. He could see why James seemed enamored with her. She seemed to be able to control the room she was in. It was...slightly terrifying, if Remus was being honest.

After almost an hour of taking notes on a boring syllabus, the bell rang again. Everyone quickly gathered up their things and left, not wanting to be stuck in the classroom any longer. Remus waved to Lily as he walked out - straight into another person.

"Shit - I'm so sorry." The boy apologized, putting his hand on Remus's shoulder. "Didn't see you there."

Remus looked up at the other boy and shook his head. "I-It's fine. I wasn't looking where I was walking." The boy was good looking. Remus pushed up the sleeves of his sweater, trying not to look at his face too long.

He didn't seem to notice Remus's struggles, and smiled. "Well, I gotta get to class. It was nice bumping into you." The boy's smile turned into a smirk.

Remus watched as the boy left, and then started laughing. "'Bumping into you', that's -" he looked around him, "I'm talking to myself."

~

"'Bumping into you'? I'm an idiot." Sirius sighed as he walked to his next class.

**Author's Note:**

> boop boop
> 
> I hope you guys liked this first part, I hope I can continue with this and make it a thing...and I'm sorry for any errors. It's 2 AM as I post this, so bear with me.
> 
> find me on tumblr: andhor


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